Of Blue and Silver Hair
by AnimeFreaks13
Summary: Tsuyosa, a girl Athrun met in the PLANTs, joined him in ZAFT and met a boy with silver hair. But what about Athrun? These are their stories. AxOCxY Alternate Version of Show!
1. Bloody Valentine

**Of Blue and Silver Hair**

Tsuyosa, a girl Athrun met in the PLANTs, joined him in ZAFT and met a boy with silver hair. But what about Athrun? These are their stories. AxOCxY

-

The show doesn't come in until chapter 4 actually. But I needed some filler stuff first, to introduce Tsuyosa and such. -nod nod-

Also, sorry about this being a day late. I was ready yesterday, but...well...-doesn't remember why she didn't post it-

**

* * *

Chapter 1 - Bloody Valentine**

Tsuyosa was walking in the park. Her mother was sitting on a bench about 20 meters away and she had run to catch her cat. It had orange fur and white stripes. She ran around a bush and out of Tsuyosa's view.

"Miki! Miki come back!" she called. Tsuyosa turned the corner and nearly plowed head on into a boy her age with blue-black hair and green eyes. "Oh, sorry." She apologized.

"No problem. Were you...looking for her?" He asked, holding out an orange and white cat he had in his hands. It meowed.

"Miki!" she took the cat from the boy. "Thank you. My name is Tsuyosa Matsuro. What's your name?" she asked.

"Athrun Zala. You kinda remind me of a friend I left back on the moon." he trailed off. Tsuyosa stared at him questioningly. "Oh. His name was Kira, he's nice...His hair is the same color as yours, so are your eyes, and you two kinda act the same..." he smiled.

"Oh! Well, can _we _be friends then?" She asked. Athrun nodded as a man put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him off. "Bye Athrun!" she waved. "Maybe I'll see you soon?"

Athrun nodded as best he could without wrenching free from his father's grasp. Tsuyosa smiled and ran back to her mom.

-

1 years later.

"Athrun! Hey Athrun!...HEY!" a girl yelled in Athrun's ear. He jerked and fell out of his seat.

"Wha?" he hit the ground. "Ow...Sorry Tsuyosa...were you talking to me?" he asked, getting up. She glared at him.

"As a matter of fact...yes! I was." she sat down on the bench next to him. "Listen..." her voice became softer. "I know you're sad because your mom died in the Bloody Valentine incident..." Athrun flinched. "But please don't do anything to reckless okay? You're my best friend." she smiled sadly.

"I'm your only friend." Athrun corrected, smiling. She playfully hit him on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go." he took her hand and led her off.

To Athrun, Tsuyosa was his comfort zone. If he needed comforting, where did he go? To Tsuyosa! Ever since he caught her cat last year ago, he and Tsuyosa had always been friends. At one point, Athrun had run away from home before realizing he had no where to go. He looked in the phone book from a phone booth and found the Matsuro's, so that's where he went. Though they had fought once or twice, they were the best of friends...of course, Kira was Athrun's best best friend.

Tsuyosa knew Athrun was right about him being her only friend. She practiced martial arts daily and would rather enter a fighting competition than a beauty pageant. So all the girls thought she was weird and all the guys didn't hang out with her because she was a girl period. So Tsuyosa hung out with the only person she ever felt she could talk to...Athrun. He practiced with her and they would spar occasionally. But after the Bloody Valentine...he'd been very quiet. And Tsuyosa would be the last person to make it worse by telling him someone else died...

"Hey, Tsuyosa..." Athrun started. She blinked out of her daze.

"Yea?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Nothing." he brushed it off. Tsuyosa hated being brushed off, he knew this. Athrun also knew that Tsuyosa would find out sooner or later...later he hoped.

Athrun planned on joining ZAFT, as a way to get back at the naturals who killed his mother. How was he supposed to know that he was lucky to lose only that? Tsuyosa was planning to keep on living, so that those who died could be proud of those they left behind.

"Ta da!" he stopped walking and let go of Tsuyosa's hand.

"The fair?" Tsuyosa asked.

"Yea. A lot of people are coming here. I guess it's to relieve some stress over losing loved ones or something." he added as if he didn't care. Tsuyosa frowned. Athrun was trying to ease the pain.

"Well then, let's go!" she smiled and led the way in.

They rode each ride twice, or three times, and ate anything they could get their hands on. Tsuyosa tried a game based on strength and won hands down. She gave Athrun her prize saying she didn't want it. It was a large stuffed animal tiger. Athrun decided it was time to go after that, but Tsuyosa knew it was only because he didn't want to carry the toy around too long.

Tsuyosa and Athrun split up and headed for their respective houses. Tsuyosa stopped smiling as soon as she and Athrun spilt. She headed home to a house she knew would be empty. Her mother wouldn't be home till late. And no one else would be coming home...

Athrun turned the corner, hardly able to see past the tiger toy. He ran into a lady walking down the street and both fell on their butts.

"Sorry." he apologized, standing up and putting a hand out to help her up.

"It's alright, Athrun." The lady said, standing up on her own. "Where you headed home?"

"Ms. Matsuro." he realized, he hadn't been expecting to see her. "Uh...yea, yea, I'm on my way home right now...Are you coming home early tonight?" DUH!

"Huh? Oh, yes. I am. My boss gave me the day off due to the circumstances." she said, brushing herself off. "Were you with Tsuyosa today?"

"Yea I- what circumstances?" he asked. She blinked as if not expecting someone not to know.

"Didn't Tsuyosa tell you? No, I suppose not. Seeing as how your mother died too though, I would've thought she would tell you..." Athrun looked lost. "My husband and Miki were there when it happened." she said in a sad voice.

Athrun took a step back. "What? You mean...Mr. Matsuro and Miki are...dead?" he asked. Ms. Matsuro nodded. "But...why were they there?"

"My husband was there on business, he owned one of the farms there as you know...and Miki always went with him if he left home, as if to protect him...But I guess she couldn't protect him from missiles could she?" Ms. Matsuro nodded a good-bye and walked off. Athrun stood rooted to the spot.

He looked at the toy tiger. It was orange with light orange stripes. It looked kinda like Miki.

"_You take this thing Athrun. I don't want it. It'd just be another item to collect dust in my room."_

'_Didn't want it, ha. It reminded you of Miki...Why didn't you tell me?'_

He turned, picking up the tiger, and went home.

-

"What?" Tsuyosa yelled. Her mom came running in.

"What is it Tsuyosa? What's wrong?" she asked, her hair wasn't brushed seeing as how it was 6 am.

"Athrun's gonna join ZAFT!" She explained in a yell.

"What? How do you know?" her mother asked, calming down.

"I hacked his recent mailing list. He emailed his entrance sheet to them...Mom, I'm going too." she said in a determined voice.

"What?" her mom dropped the toast she was holding.

"I'm gonna join ZAFT too! Athrun can't be alone in this! He's doing this because the naturals killed his mother, I know that's why. I told him not to do anything reckless, but he still is. If I go too, there's a chance I'll be able to help him." she declared.

Her mother sighed. "Of course honey..." Tsuyosa looked at her mother in shock. "Hey, I've tried to stop you before when you're like this, and I know it's no good. Once you're set on something, you do it. Of course, I'll be worried always and send mail whenever there's news of an attack to see if you're ok."

"Right!" Tsuyosa got on her computer and emailed them her entrance sheet. Now all that remained was the test.

_Ding Dong!_

"Huh? Who's here at this time?" Tsuyosa asked. Her mother was gone. She returned with her haired brushed and the toast devoured.

"It's Athrun honey." she explained. "Says he has a gift for you."

"A gift?" she walked into the entrance room and saw Athrun sitting on the couch with a bag next to him.

"Morning Athrun." she greeted, sitting next to him. "What brings you here?" she smiled. He wasn't smiling.

"Look. I ran into your mom the other day after the fair. I know you lost your dad and Miki, so please don't act like they'll be home any minute." he sounded a bit pleading. She stopped smiling immediately.

"What?" she asked as he headed for the bag. He unzipped it and took out a little package. "What's this?" she asked as he placed it in her hands.

"Open it. I know he won't replace Miki, but I'm good at this sorta thing and...I hope it makes you feel better." he explained as she opened it.

"Oh! He's adorable!" she exclaimed, seeing the mechanical orange and white striped cat. Athrun tapped his head and the cat came to life.

"Tsuyosa!" he meowed.

"He talks?" she asked. Athrun sweat-dropped.

"Yea, the bird I gave Kira didn't talk, but I've gotten better and now all the things I make talk."

Tsuyosa gave Athrun a big hug and he blushed. "Thank you Athrun...thank you so much. He's perfect." silent tears fell from her eyes. Tears she hadn't cried when she heard her father and cat were dead...

* * *

Ok, that's chapter 1! Hope you guys like it. I had said when I first thought this thing up, that I was writing it by memory until I got the dvds...well, I had a TON of it written, then got the dvds and found out...I was off on so much of it that the whole thing had to be rewritten almost! So...4 chapters is all I have so far. -shrug-

I'll try to update quicker than I am on my Murder Mysteries. -biiiiig sweatdrop-

-Jessica


	2. The Boy With Silver Hair

**Chapter 2 - The Boy With Silver Hair**

I know this isn't how they get into ZAFT, don't sue me.

Disclaimer : I wont write this again, so listen. I do NOT own Gundam SEED. I do own all rights to Tsuyosa though.

-

Athrun saluted and left the testing room. He walked down the hallway and past a few people as he left. One was Yzak's mother from the council. A few wore hats, some wore sunglasses that they had neglected to take off after coming inside. One or two people were wearing both a hat and sunglasses. All in all, Athrun passed about 15 people on his way, it wasn't unusual, this place was huge! He finally got to the exit and gave them his papers.

"Welcome to ZAFT, Athrun Zala." the desk lady said without looking up or looking slightly interested in Patrick Zala's son. Athrun took his leave and decided to go home and rest, jet lag? Or maybe homesickness, made him want to sit down and not move.

A kid wearing sunglasses and a hat, with no hair falling out, walked past Athrun on his way out. They turned to the desk lady as Athrun closed the door.

"Excuse me. I need to go to room...47 B?" they asked.

The desk woman wrote the directions (left, right, etc.) on a piece of paper and handed it to her.

"Thank you." Tsuyosa bowed before leaving.

-

"Welcome to the force Miss Matsuro. Your test scores were more than adequate. We look forward to hearing of your accomplishments." he said, stamping the file he got from the middle guy and handing it back to her.

The 3 officers all saluted, as did Tsuyosa, and then dismissed her.

Turning the corner, she saw someone ascending the stairs to her right. She quickly put her hat back on over her hair, which was in a bun, but left her bangs out to hang beside her face.

Tsuyosa paused. The person climbing was a boy no older than she was. He had silver hair...silver hair? That was weird. She moved so that, when he got to the top, she could see his eyes. His eyes were a shimmering blue, but seemed to have no feeling behind them. Tsuyosa raised her hand a bit and opened her mouth to speak, to maybe say Hello, when he opened a door on the second floor and shut it behind him.

"Who was that?" she asked. Tsuyosa turned and finished her walk to the entrance room.

"Here's my file." she handed it over.

"Welcome to ZAFT, Tsuyosa Matsuro." she said in a bored tone, filing it away. Tsuyosa just stood there and it took a minute before the desk lady mentioned it. "Excuse me, do you need something?"

"Yes. Do you know anyone with silver hair. He's about my age, and it's cut about so short-" she showed with her hands. The lady nodded.

"Yes, we have a file for him. But that is confidential. Council members and they're families have their information kept in a separate filing cabinet."

"Oh...I see...Thanks anyway. Bye."she turned to leave. When the lady spoke, she paused.

"Joule." it was a single word. A last name. Tsuyosa smiled.

"Thank You, have a nice day." she smiled, waved, and left. The lady smiled and waved back.

"That's the first person to ever actually 'talk' to me...geeze I need a new job." she muttered before going back to work.

-

Tsuyosa entered her new house, one nearer to the 'base.' She had set everything up before going to her test. She threw the hat down on the bed and set the sunglasses on her dresser. She took off her jacket and looked at the pictures of her mother, father, and cat. Not to mention Athrun. She took out a sketch pad and an artist pencil. She smiled remembering when Athrun gave it to her as a birthday gift.

"_You're a really good artist, Tsuyosa. You should work at it. I bet you could become a famous painter someday."_

She remembered when he reached the top of the stairs. The moment when she saw his whole face. The pencil began moving over the paper, an outline for a face. The lines for his hair, all the shine marks were there, as well as shadowing. She drew the mouth, in a frown and his nose, small. The thing that she took time on was the eyes. She prided herself on her well drawn eyes.

Tsuyosa drew the outline in every detail she could remember. Next, she drew the shape of his pupils and drew every line exact to how they were in his eyes, from what she could see from the 1st floor. After she finished, Tsuyosa looked it over. There was only one thing wrong...the eyes showed emotion, and she could've sworn there was none there when she first saw him...

She sighed and set it aside. She opened the door to her beside table's cabinet and then slipped the sketch inside along with sketches of other things. Like...Athrun, her mom, her dad, Miki, her new cat, the sun set, a bird in flight, etc.

Speaking of cat, her new mechanical cat hopped onto her bed and sat in her lap. She pet him slowly as he purred.

"Miki...I don't know..."she said softly. She'd named the mechanical cat after her old one, cause Miki worked for girls and guys. "Who was that guy?"

"Problem...I don't know!" he said in his high voice. She smiled down at him.

"I think you could do with a few updates." she smirked and Miki backed up. "Come on, come here." she grabbed the wriggling cat and turned him off.

5 minutes later, Miki has been turned back on.

"So, how do you feel?" she asked.

"Mik -bleep- kay-kay -screech-" Miki tried. She frowned.

"Ok, here we go..." she tinkered for another 20 minutes, then sat the cat down. "Now, let's try again...Miki, how do you feel?"

"Feel great! Thank You Tsuyosa!" he cried in his still high voice.

"Perfect. Your vocabulary has been updated and you can carry on a somewhat normal conversation now." She nearly laughed. "I can't make another you, but I can update Athrun's version." Miki meowed and sat on her lap.

-

_Ring Ring_

"Hello?" Athrun asked as he hung up his uniform.

"_Hey Athrun, it's me, Tsuyosa."_

"Hey Tsuyosa! What's up?" he asked, finishing up and sitting on his bed.

"_Oh, nothing much. Mom's still getting over the shock of losing dad..."_

Athrun hadn't expected her to bring up the dead. He didn't speak. She broke the silence.

"_Oh!_ _I updated Miki's vocabulary!_"

"Updated? How so?" he asked.

"_Athrun? Hi Athrun!_ _Miss you!_" came Miki's voice over the phone.

"I miss you too...Miki..." Athrun was stunned. A mechanical cat that could carry on normal conversation...he'd never thought one of his robots would be able to. "You're amazing Tsuyosa."

"_Thanks Athrun."_ said Tsuyosa, who was now back on the phone. _"But I bet you have lots of more important things to do than talk to me. Maybe I should let you go?"_

"No, what could I possibly need to do?" he asked, smiling.

"_Unpack?"_ she asked. Athrun's smile faded, she was right. Tsuyosa laughed. _"I'll talk to you later."_

"I'll call you tonight okay?" Athrun suggested, Tsuyosa answered very fast.

"_No!_ _Um...I'll call you. How's...7?"_ she asked. Athrun nodded.

"Alright. Bye." they both hung up. Tsuyosa thanked whoever was watching them that Athrun wasn't the brightest lightbulb. Athrun shrugged off the fact of how quickly she answered and finished unpacking his things.

-

Tsuyosa and Athrun worked in menial jobs for ZAFT for awhile. They never got stuck together, and Tsuyosa didn't see Yzak anywhere. She had forgotten all about the last name until one mission. She was assigned to a ship for a few days. It was a mail ship, how boring. Her job was to help deliver messages to warships in the battlefield. Oh how she would rather be the one fighting than on the sidelines!

She boarded the ship after delivering the mail. She set her bag down and went for a drink. As she entered, Tsuyosa overheard the conversation of the two men in the room.

"Really? Do you think so?" the one with brown hair that she had learned was called Brian, asked. A guy named Leo answered.

"Yea. I heard that Mrs. Joule wasn't gonna stand for it anymore. She decided to help Patrick Zala remove Clyne from the top seat." he explained. She froze in filling her cup.

_Joule?_ She wondered. _That's...that boy's last name..._

"Do you think the other council members will go along with them?" Brian asked.

"Oh yea. Everyone on that council is a war hawk except Clyne, they'll want further action to be taken. You can count on it. Clyne is outta there." Leo assured him, standing up and throwing away what was left of his lunch. Brian followed him out.

"Joule?" she drank her water and followed them out, but at a safe distance.

"-to do?" Brian asked.

"I don't know. She might have them give Yzak a higher post..." Leo guessed.

"You mean that snot nosed brat of a son she has?" Brian asked, man he asks a lot of questions.

"Shh! Don't let anyone here you. She's on the council, don't talk badly about her son." Leo warned.

"Alright, alright." Brian defended, holding up his hands in self-defense. "I wont talk bad about the kid." he and Leo then spilt up. Tsuyosa stopped walking.

"So, his name is Yzak Joule..." she headed for her room.

Tsuyosa opened her bag and pulled out a thick case full of pictures she'd drawn. She pulled out the one of Yzak and wrote at the bottom, 'Yzak Joule.' She then signed it with her trademark curly 'Tsuyosa' and placed it back in her case. She then checked the clock '12:30 a.m.'

_Wow, it took longer than I thought to deliver that mail...how far is it to the PLANT? Maybe...one or...two...days?_

She fell asleep. Tsuyosa lay on top of her covers, her bag open beside her

-

"Hey! Matsuro! Wake up!" came a voice. Tsuyosa blinked and sat up. The person whacked her door again. "Get out here! We're docked!"

"Oh!" she jumped up and changed out of her nightclothes. "Well don't break my door or I wont be able to leave!" she called, buttoning up her jacket and putting her hat on. Still, no one knew she was a girl. She donned her sunglasses and opened the door.

"Finally! You sleep like a rock." Leo commented. "Oh yea, your next orders came in." he handed her an envelope and then walked off. She broke the seal and read the letter inside. Only three words were written inside.

"Take A Break." she recited. Tsuyosa crumpled up the paper and threw it in the trash on her way out. She'd take a break. Heck, she'd 've done so even if they hadn't ordered her to!

Tsuyosa disembarked with her bag slung over her back, it was small. She blinked behind her sunglasses at the person ordering around the docking crew. It was Yzak! She walked close to him on purpose on her way out.

"Make sure that's handled carefully, it's ammunition" he ordered. A guy in a green outfit nodded and walked off. Yzak glared around the room.

_He's bored..._ Tsuyosa thought as she saw his eyes. He blinked and looked back at her. _His eyes are very beautiful..._

"What are you staring at?" he yelled. She blinked and took a step back.

"Sorry sir. I didn't mean to stare. I guess I...hope to be able to give orders someday too." she said unconvincingly. Yzak glared.

"Just get out of here. You're annoying me." he said half-heartedly, waving her off as he went back to work. He then blinked and turned back around. "Do you work for ZAFT?"

"Yes, I do." she answered truthfully. She flipped open her jacket to show him that, on the inside, was her name tag. Not much was there except her last name and her rank; her age, height, and weight too, but nothing on her first name or gender.

"Then get going! I'm sure you have orders." he brushed her off. Tsuyosa glared, but he couldn't tell due to the sunglasses. How dare he brush her off? But what could she do anyway? Oh well, she'd get him back for it later.

"Good-Bye then, Yzak Joule." she emphasized his name as she walked off. Yzak turned around. He was wearing a hat too, which hid most his hair, and no one was obeying him just because he was his mother's son. "We'll see each other again I suppose." she called back lazily.

"Who was that guy?" Yzak asked himself as a man came up with a clipboard.

-

Abrupt end. And, Yzak thinks she's a boy. -smile-


	3. Happy Birthday Athrun

**Chapter 3- Happy Birthday Athrun!**

Tsuyosa was in a room. Yzak was standing on the other side, glaring at her. She wasn't wearing her hat or sunglasses. She turned to look at Yzak, who was now walking towards her.

"Hi Yzak. Um...where are we?" she asked. Why did she think he would answer her?

"Do you like me or something?" he asked. She blinked.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Do you like me?" he repeated. Without meaning to or trying to, Tsuyosa found herself nodding. He was 3 steps away from her, still glaring.

"Um...you...still haven't answered me." she reminded him, blushing. _God!_ _Why am I blushing!_

He took one step. Tsuyosa froze. He took a second step. She looked up at him. He took the last step and she opened her mouth to speak just as he hugged her. She couldn't move...her body wasn't responding. What The Hell Was Going On?

He lifted away and she saw his beautiful blue eyes. They were getting closer, no...he was getting closer. Their lips were just an inch apart...

Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep..Beep..Beep..Crack!

Tsuyosa opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She remembered her dream and sat bolt upright. She was breathing hard and her hand hurt. She turned to her side and looked at her left hand. It was down the center of her alarm clock.

"Ah! How'd I do that?" her clock was in two pieces and she had just had a freaky dream about Yzak! What else could go-"AAAAAAAH!"

She jumped up and checked the calendar. She screamed again. Tsuyosa showered, dressed, ate, and was ready to go in record time. She opened the door, got in her car, and drove off.

3 hours later she was back, looking extremely depressed. She slumped down onto the couch and Miki jumped onto it with her.

"What's wrong Tsu-chan?" he asked. She pet him.

"I've been looking all morning...And I can't find it...I shouldn't've waited so long..." she muttered. Miki cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Athrun's birthday is tomorrow, on the last day of my 'Take A Break' period. I don't have a present!" she sat up so fast that Miki fell on the floor.

"Artist." he muttered.

"What?" she asked.

"Artist!" he repeated. "You creative Tsu-chan! You think of something!"

"Hmm...seems you still don't talk perfectly..." she murmured, flipping back onto the couch. "Creative artist...hm...artist..."

Miki walked back and forth across the carpet in front of the couch for a good 10 minutes as Tsuyosa thought...berated herself...and had a blank mind. She then opened her eyes and picked him up.

"He made you, you should know. Would Athrun like it...if I just drew him a picture?" she asked, refraining from shaking Miki like an 8-Ball.

"Perfect present!" Miki cheered, squirming. She set him down and he took off.

Tsuyosa picked up her sketch pad and artist supplies, then began sketching

-

Tomorrow

Athrun yawned as he sat up. He looked around, he was in his living room. Athrun blinked.

"I fell asleep on the couch?" he asked nobody. Athrun shrugged and got up, getting ready for the day. Today was his day off, due to it being his birthday.

Athrun had finished his breakfast, except for the toast, when the doorbell rang. He paused, toast in mouth, and blinked at the door. Someone knocked impatiently, so he stood up and opened the door.

"Surprise!" Tsuyosa and her mother greeted.

"Huh?" he asked through the toast.

"Athrun...what would you do if I had been your superior?" Tsuyosa asked, taking the toast from him and entering his house. He watched as she bit into the toast, as if it had been hers.

"What're you two doing here?" he asked, forgetting for a moment that it was his birthday. Tsuyosa knocked on his head, he flinched away.

"Hello! Are you that forgetful? Today's your birthday! We wouldn't miss that! Not for the world...wait...that really doesn't work now does it, since we don't live on Earth..." she sweat-dropped.

"I..uh...thanks?" Athrun tried. He had been caught very much off-guard.

"Now Athrun." Mrs. Matsuro started, finished hanging up some decorations. "What do you think?" she pointed.

"Whoa...how do you do that?" he asked, motioning towards all the colored banners, tinsel, letters, balloons, etc. that now covered his living room and kitchen.

"My specialty." she answered, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I hear Tsuyosa has a gift for you."

"Mom!" she tried.

"But the girl wont even let me see what it is." Mrs. Matsuro looked pained, then smiled. "So? Give it to him!" she directed at Tsuyosa, who groaned but pulled out the package. He opened it and nearly gasped at the picture.

It was of Athrun, dressed in a ZAFT uniform, saluting as if they had just won. He was standing in a green field with a tree nearby. But that wasn't was got him. Floating next to the picture Athrun was a figure. They had beautiful white wings and a halo. It was...Athrun's mother...She looked proud of him...

"Tsuyosa..." he started. She shook her head.

"It was nothing. I didn't win those art awards for nothing." Tsuyosa went and sat in the kitchen.

"She was up all night, never truly satisfied with it..." Mrs. Matsuro said, going by what her daughter had told her. "She wanted the wings to look like you could touch them and feel a cloud...the halo to be shimmering with sunlight...and the scenery to look real." she explained, walking to the kitchen to make some tea.

Athrun brushed his fingers past his mother's hair, and over her wings. He felt as though, right now, his mother was standing next to him. The picture was, to him, the most beautiful item in the world.

Knock Knock Knock.

"I'll get it." Ms Matsuro called, opening the door. Athrun didn't notice. "Lacus Clyne?"

"Lacus?" Athrun blinked and headed for the door. "Hey Lacus...what brings you here?"

"I came to wish you a happy birthday." she said with a smile. Lacus handed him a box. "For you."

Athrun opened it to find...

"A book?" he asked, lifting it up.

"Uh-huh." Lacus smiled. "It's about wins and loses." Athrun opened the book and raised an eyebrow.

"Poems...by you..." he closed the book. "Thanks..." Lacus hugged him.

"I knew you'd like it. Now, I need to get going. I do wish I could stay for your party." she motioned towards the decorations. "Bye!"

"Uh, bye!" Athrun called.

"Bye! Maybe we'll talk again!" Mrs. Matsuro called as she waved. When Lacus had driven off, she shut the door. "Wow. I've always wanted to meet her."

Athrun wondered how Tsuyosa and her mom were related by blood...they acted so different. He set the book down on a table and the picture on his bed. Tsuyosa knocked and entered.

"Athrun? Hey, whatcha doin?" she asked, walking up behind him.

"Putting up the gifts." he said simply. "Were you two waiting for me?"

"Uh...yea, yea...Mom's got tea...y-you want one?...some! You want _some_?" Athrun blinked.

"Sure. Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yea. I'm fine." she lied.

"_No!_ _I wanna cry my eyes out and then go on a rampage!_ _I wanna tell you how, when I learned you were joining ZAFT, I followed you!_ _I wanna know who Yzak Joule is and what the heck is so important about him!_ _I wanna stop staying on the sidelines and actually fight!_ _I am NOT fine!_" her mind screamed.

"Let's go get some tea." she motioned towards the door and they went into the kitchen.

* * *


End file.
